175

I lay awake in the night with his body coiled around me possessively, his face buried in the back of my hair breathing soundly. My arm free of the restraint and only the sheets of the bed keeping me captive as he’s still not got under the comforter with me. I must have dosed off at some point and he’d taken it off, but I can only remember turning and tossing until he switched off that damn movie.

His arms are wrapped around my upper body and fingers entwined with mine, I sigh and relax into his hold, needing this to balm over the events of yesterday. I’m too weak for this game, already that ache of insecurity threatening to engulf me at the lack of his body joined with mine. He’s right. I don’t just need the sex though; I need the small things. The gestures and touches, the attentiveness and kindness too. All the things he deprives me of when he wants to win a stupid game. This helps though, that even in sleep he needs to cling to me and revives